A Good Reason To Avoid Mexico Until Further Notice

[props2you]

..Now, just as it hopes to regain some of its cachet, Acapulco is confronting more than the weight of history. The famed resort city has been the scene of vicious fighting among rival drug gangs that has killed more than 650 people in four years, the fifth-highest count for any Mexican city, according to government figures. The toll includes 30 men slain last weekend in and around the city. Fifteen of them were decapitated...

650 murders in Acapulco alone in 4 years??!! I'm stickin' with Hawai'i.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-acapulco-violence-20110114,0,5644273.story?page=1&utm_medium=feed&track=rss&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20latimes%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fworld%20%28L.A.%20Times%20-%20World%20News%29&utm_source=feedburner

[Kip Powick]

Cuba is looking better all the time but then so is Mexico Mayan Riviera (friends have been there a couple of times and found the side trip out to the ruins to be well worth the $$$ and the day spent to do so.).

Choices, choices..........

I think we have been in just about all the coastal Cuban resorts there are , (diving), but have opted for a warmer climate. I can remember being at a resort on the North coast of Cuba in Feb/Mar and the morning temp was a balmy 18C.......sounds high but with an onshore breeze it felt cold. We also hit a few resorts where, when the wind died down, we were inundated with "no-see-ems" that seemed to love bare legs etc.

Where you want to go and .....where you do go....... is a personal issue but I would doubt very much if we will ever frequent their shores again.

Have fun in the sun.

[props2you]

And another:

A Penticton senior is recovering in a Mexican hospital after getting caught in the crossfire of a gangland execution Monday.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Penticton+crossfire+Mazatlan+gangland+execution/4128645/story.html#ixzz1BXYSFxjD

Hm, when is itravel2000 going to start offering holiday packages to other fun hotspots, like Afghanistan?

[Mitch Cronin]

Ahhh yer all nuts. There's no better holiday than you can find by the side of some water in the woods in most of Canada....where you'd be absolutely alone. ...'cept fer all the critters o'course.

Go on and spend all your riches on shmooze and booze and sandy beaches and sunshine... in a hotel room. You'll never convince me any of that's worth a pinch of coonshit next to waking up to the sound of woodland critters and nothing else.

Even in winter... in fact, winter camping is a fabulous experience, with a little proper prep. ....waking up, snuggled and warm in your sleeping bag, with snow for a mattress... ice from your breath covering the tent wall.... the only sounds outside coming from the ice groaning and cracking...

Have you ever laid on a thick blanket of snow in a waterproof snowsuit? ... You can't buy that experience. ...Snowshoeing, x/c skiing... Equipment that'll cost less than your vacation in the resort, that you get to keep for next time.

Stuff Mexico, you haven't seen enough of Canada!

...sez me at this moment in time.

[Guest The Real World]

Crazy as it seems, I think you are on to something Mitch.

[Kip Powick]

...sez me at this moment in time.

Tick----tock----tick----tock----tic

[Doering]

Have you ever laid on a thick blanket of snow in a waterproof snowsuit?

Have not done the snowsuit stuff (without a snowmobile). Lived in 3 provinces and vacationed in all provinces except the Yukon and NWT. Hard to beat multiday backpacking trips in the solitude of mountains also. But when you crave to swim and dive into the surf (with a good hard but safe undertow) and the warmth of ultra fine pure white sand, I have not found anything better than the Atlantic side of the Yucatan peninsula.

[J.O.]

Have not done the snowsuit stuff (without a snowmobile). Lived in 3 provinces and vacationed in all provinces except the Yukon and NWT. Hard to beat multiday backpacking trips in the solitude of mountains also. But when you crave to swim and dive into the surf (with a good hard but safe undertow) and the warmth of ultra fine pure white sand, I have not found anything better than the Atlantic side of the Yucatan peninsula.

You owe it to yourself to try Wailea in Maui some time. More expensive than Mexico, but worth every penny, IMO.

[chockalicious]

Hi Mitch

I appreciate your enthusiasm for staying in Canada but have you actually ever travelled to a beach spot outside the country?

[Guest]

Ahhh yer all nuts. There's no better holiday than you can find by the side of some water in the woods in most of Canada....where you'd be absolutely alone. ...'cept fer all the critters o'course.

Go on and spend all your riches on shmooze and booze and sandy beaches and sunshine... in a hotel room. You'll never convince me any of that's worth a pinch of coonshit next to waking up to the sound of woodland critters and nothing else.

Even in winter... in fact, winter camping is a fabulous experience, with a little proper prep. ....waking up, snuggled and warm in your sleeping bag, with snow for a mattress... ice from your breath covering the tent wall.... the only sounds outside coming from the ice groaning and cracking...

Have you ever laid on a thick blanket of snow in a waterproof snowsuit? ... You can't buy that experience. ...Snowshoeing, x/c skiing... Equipment that'll cost less than your vacation in the resort, that you get to keep for next time.

Stuff Mexico, you haven't seen enough of Canada!

...sez me at this moment in time.

Seen it, been there, done it and bought the t-shirt!!! But sorry, I will take surf, sand beach and beer anytime over the cold. Heading to Playa del Carmen in 3 weeks, I will lift a beer to you while I am out deep sea fishing while you are waiting for the hangar to warm up.

[Specs]

If you smell gas - run

[Guest]

If you smell gas - run

ROTFLMAO!! Then again, it is a group of us going and one of the group is a big boy with his own methane factory going!

[Mitch Cronin]

Hi Mitch

I appreciate your enthusiasm for staying in Canada but have you actually ever travelled to a beach spot outside the country?

Ya, but only once... Hawaii (Waikiki)... back in '89 or so.... Nice, but I prefer far less crowded places.

[Specs]

Pretty damning story on tonights newsworld re the Grand Riviera Princess explosion.

Seems they were more interested in protecting their reputation than treating the injured. Reporters and ambulances held at the gates

Mexican ambulances ran out of gas.

Doctors extorted money from from families of injured.

Inspection reports falsified.

I didn't even watch the whole thing.

CBC newsworld

the 2 part videos are on the right side of the page.

[Guest alkaid]

Pretty damning story on tonights newsworld re the Grand Riviera Princess explosion.

Seems they were more interested in protecting their reputation than treating the injured. Reporters and ambulances held at the gates

Mexican ambulances ran out of gas.

Doctors extorted money from from families of injured.

Inspection reports falsified.

I didn't even watch the whole thing.

CBC newsworld

the 2 part videos are on the right side of the page.

Welcome to the third world. One could instead travel to California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado or Utah. Definitely not third world(except perhaps a very few localized spots) thanks to history.

[Kip Powick]

A Canadian woman suffered serious injuries after a shark almost ripped her leg and arm off in front of horrified tourists as she swam with dozens of other people off a beach in Cancun, Mexico.

She has been identified as 38-year-old Nicole Ross. Foreign Affairs would not release her hometown due to privacy concerns.

Although she did not have her arm or leg amputated, Dr. Italo Sampablo, the medical director of Hospiten Cancún, said Ross lost “a large amount of blood” in the attack, which severed muscles, tendons and nerves to both her lower leg, forearm and hand.

After a team of surgeons operated on her, she was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit and, although she is in “a delicate state of health,” doctors say she will live.

Angela Nichole Nelms said she was playing beach volleyball at the time of the attack and ran to the beach. She told the Star that Ross was bitten to the point “where you could see her femur and arm bone.”

Witnesses said she suffered the arm injuries while trying to force the shark to release her leg.

The attack happened just before noon on Monday in front of several witnesses who told the Star that lifeguards pulled the woman out of waist-deep water and took her to shore.

“Four lifeguards then jumped on their Sea-Doos and were trying to circle the shark or swarm him or her. It was six feet long and three feet wide. It was massive,” said Kelly Rowat, 44, of Moncton, N.B.

However, the shark escaped into open waters.

The attack happened just outside their hotel at the Gran Caribe Real Resort. Ross was believed to be staying in the resort next door at the Cancun Caribe Park Royal Grand.

Tourists on the beach at the time said there was a lot of blood in the water but that Ross was conscious when she was taken to shore.

Kelly Rowat, who had just begun a week-long vacation with her daughter, Brooklyn, 15, two days earlier, had been in the water moments before the attack. She and others heard a lifeguard’s whistle with urgent demands to get out of the water.

Everyone got out in time except for the victim.

Kelly said she saw so much blood in the water “it made want to pass out” and she left the beach area.

“For the size of the shark and the shallowness of the water, it was surprising,” she said.

Brooklyn said she saw Ross being pulled to the beach.

Brooklyn raced to the beach to see what the commotion was and saw the woman lying on the beach.

“When I got there, her left leg was basically missing,” Brooklyn told the Star. “Her friend was with her. They were trying to keep her conscious. A nurse went down to the beach.”

Lifeguards were yelling at people asking them to take off their shirts so they could wrap the wounds.

Brooklyn said there were no shark warnings prior to the attack.

There are reports the shark came close to shore to give birth, and the woman got too close.

The beach was red-flagged all day Tuesday and no one was allowed in the ocean.

Several messages about the attack were posted on Facebook.

Wrote one person: “Another day in Cancun by the pool. Can't go into the ocean because of the shark attack yesterday. Keep her in your prayers.”

Shark attacks are reportedly rare on Mexican beaches, although two people died after shark bites in 2008.

[boestar]

Kip:

I am sure you know as well as anyoone how rare shark attacks actually are. They can also happen any where from Greenland to alaska. It jusr happens that more people are in the water in the carribean. Shark attacks are definately horrific but are pointless since sharks don't like the taste of humans.

The story above says that there were no warnings prior to the attack. This is true because sharks are predators and very good at stealth. the movies have you believe that they swim with the dorsal fin avove the water all the time which could not be farther from the truth. Sharks can attack with no prior warning that they are there. Mother nature can be very forgiving and when we get complacent about the fact that there are things in this world that WILL kill us thats when wer get bitten.

[Kip Powick]

Mexico getting some bad Karma ????

Dale McDougall, 63, and his wife Linda, 54, were looking forward to their trip to Mexico.

It was a chance to spend time with their daughter Teri Miller, son-in-law Daryl and their three grandchildren, Brandon, Christopher and Kyle. Brandon was about to celebrate a birthday.

The excitement was building on Jan. 28 when Linda posted this on her Facebook page: “4 more sleeps and MEXICO, whoot, whoot.”

A friend of Teri’s wished them well, with a warning that seems haunting now because of what happened a few days later.

Said the friend: “Have fun guys. Stay outta trouble.”

On Thursday, the Calgary couple would end up dead, swept away by a rogue wave in the Mexican tourist town of Cabo San Lucas.

They had checked in Tuesday to the Hotel Riu Santa Fe with their daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren for a week’s vacation. One of the grandchildren was about to celebrate a birthday.

Dale headed up the parts and service department at Calgary auto dealer, Metro Ford, where he worked for the past 25 wyears. His wife was a certified dog trainer and volunteered at dog rescue shelters.

Risks were all around the couple at the resort town, described as the jewel of the Baja California Sur.

Divorce Beach is notorious for its strong currents and severe riptides. It’s so dangerous that travel advisories urge beach-goers to walk a short distance to the calmer waters of Lover’s Beach on the harbour.

It’s not clear if the family knew about the risks.

What is clear, however, is that the family members were surprised by a rogue wave as they walked the beach.

Everyone, except for Daryl, was pulled into the Pacific Ocean currents.

But Dale and the grandchildren, the youngest of whom was 12 or 13, were able to get out and get back to shore. However, Dale returned to the water to help his wife, who was having difficulty.

The couple soon disappeared under the waves.

“They were all standing on the beach holding hands and a rogue wave came and swept them all up,” their daughter-in-law, Rebbekka McFadden, told the Calgary Herald. “Linda started to drown and Dale started to try and get her. Unfortunately, neither of them could get out,” said McFadden, who is married to the McDougalls' son, Jason.

Family members waved down nearby boats, one of which took Linda aboard.

Paramedics at a nearby beach started resuscitation, but Linda was later declared dead at a local hospital.

Authorities say the Mexican Navy pulled Dale’s body from the ocean.

The owner of the family-run business, Reg Pattemore, told the Toronto Star that everyone is “shocked” by the tragedy and also by the circumstances.

“I’ve known Dale as a very close friend and a mentor in many ways for 25 years,” Pattemore said. “Foolish would not be a word you would use to describe Dale. He would not take risks with his wife and grandchildren. They’ve been married for many years. He’s not a risk-taker.”

Pattemore has instructed his managers that if people need personal time to take it and offered grief counselling.

[Kip Powick]

CNN) -- Gunmen opened fire Saturday in a downtown bar in the tourist district of Guadalajara, Mexico, killing six people and wounding another 37, the Jalisco state prosecutor said.The suspects also threw a grenade into the bar after the shooting, state news agency Notimex reported. A Colombian and a Venezuelan are among the possible victims of the attack. Their nationalities were under investigation Saturday, Notimex reported.

Violence has escalated in Guadalajara, an economic and tourist hub in Mexico, which in recent weeks has seen a spate of killings and road blockades by organized criminals.

The wave of violence may be related to the dispute between drug cartels after the death of alleged cartel member Ignacio Nacho Coronel, who was killed last July in military operation. It has cast a pall on Guadalajara, picked to host the Pan American Games in October.

[Doering]

Back alive without incident from 9 days of solid sun in Puerto Vallarta!

Phenomenal whale watching even from the shore!

Check this shot out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lcdoering/5487182521/

[Guest]

Back alive without incident from 9 days of solid sun in Puerto Vallarta!

Phenomenal whale watching even from the shore!

Check this shot out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lcdoering/5487182521/

Just got back from a week in Play del Carmen, it was great with ZERO issues.

[GDR]

Back yesterday from a week in Tulum, 2hrs south of Cancun, with all my kids and their families which is 15 in total. We had a great time and would go back tomorrow.

Greg

[Airband]

Carnival Cruise Lines cancels Mazatlan visits

3rd cruise line to suspend visits to Mexican port city

March 7, 2011 - CBC News

Carnival has become the latest cruise ship operator to suspend stops in Mazatlan, citing violent incidents in the resort city on Mexico's Pacific coast.

Carnival Cruise Lines called the decision a precautionary measure, noting that "there have been no incidents involving cruise passengers."

"We are working closely with the Mexican government and local officials to review their plans to improve security in all of the main tourist areas," Carnival said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Monday. "Once we are comfortable with their plans and implementation, we expect to return to Mazatlan."

The Carnival Splendor and Carnival Spirit ships will replace Mazatlan with additional calls in Cabo San Lucas and Manzanillo, the statement said.

Disney Wonder and Holland America have also recently cancelled Mazatlan stops.

Mazatlan is located in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, which is the cradle of several drug cartels and has one of the highest homicide rates in Mexico.

The city has in general been much safer than the rest of the state, with port officials describing crimes against cruise passengers as isolated and minor, such as purse snatchings.

In February, however, two men were shot to death in the parking lot of a hotel frequented by foreign visitors. Neither of the victims were tourists, but guests reported hearing the gunshots.

Last week, five dead bodies were found dangling from bridges over a highway in Mazatlan.